The Summer Before

Epilouge

*Six months later*

Tessa

It's been a wild ride, but it's finally here- moving day! Levi and I have been through so much in the last two years. We've been tested, we've failed, risen from the ashes, and eventually found our way back to one another. For a long while, I thought this day would never come, but here we are!

Six months ago, I made a choice. I let go of my anger and frustration about what happened the summer before. I took a leap, gave love a chance, and I am so glad I did. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be here now about to start a new chapter in my life with the man who always had a special place in my heart.

When we were kids, we were always drawn to one another by some magical force. I used to pretend that it was the universe pushing us together so that one day we would have our happily ever after. I would daydream about the life we would build together. It was perfect in my mind, but life isn't always perfect.

There have been curve balls and bumps in the road, but we made it. We're here and still very much in love. I think my feelings for him just kept growing even during our one-year stent of trying to hate one another. Something about Levi just kept my heart calling for him.

She knew all along who she wanted- who we both wanted.

She wouldn't settle for anyone but him.

And it turns out, he felt the same. We've had some deep conversations since we reunited. Which included talking about the year we spent apart. That was tough but necessary. Talking everything through has made us stronger.

After the mishap at the lake house, we learned our lesson- communication is key. Levi told me how hard it was for him to try to forget me, how he wanted to more than anything, but at the same time, the thought wrecked him. He admitted that he spent several nights trying to forget me, only to burn my memory deeper into his heart.

It was hard to hear some of the things he had to say, but doing so has only brought us closer together. I told him about the struggles I had after our last night at the lake house. I shared with him how broken I was and how I wanted nothing more than to forget he ever existed.

I knew it was difficult for Levi to hear some of the things I had to say, but he listened and vowed to make up for everything, including our lost time, for the rest of our lives. He promised there would never be a day going forward that I wouldn't know exactly how much he cared about me.

He's lived up to his promise, making me feel so special, loved, and cherished. Levi has brought me to a point where I feel I can daydream again about the things I used to wish for. The only difference now- those things are actually happening.

He and I became official the night of Colin's birthday, and we've never looked back since. We spent every weekend together after that, taking turns coming to either Surf City or Raleigh to see each other. I had a few months left on my lease and my work contract at the time. So, I had to fulfill those before I could consider moving back.

Levi offered to move to Surf City to be with me, but that was never my dream. I wanted us to be together somewhere close to all our family and friends. To be honest, I couldn't wait to move back to Raleigh. That's exactly what I did three months ago.

I found an apartment and a new job close by and finally came home. After that, Levi and I spent nearly every spare moment together. He was eager to make up for lost time, and I was more than willing to give him mine.